Island Lodge Viaduct

This attractive, stone-built, railway viaduct is named for the water body which it spans, close to Bury in Lancashire, England.  The term "Lodge" is used here as it is used in Northern England to describe a small impoundment of water which is used as a reservoir to provide water power to a mill or some other industrial installation. In this case the name "Island Lodge" comes from the small island in the middle of the "Lodge" (which was possibly first impounded about 1296). It once served Tottington Mill (later to become the, much expanded, Tottington Printworks) (an important calico printer lasting, on site, until 1928). Tottington was , at the time, a separate town but it is nowadays considered a northerly suburb of Bury. The "Lodge" is one of a series of mill ponds on Kirklees Brook, a short tributary of of the river Irwell. The area is also known as Stormer Hill. The old industrial buildings nearby, such as the former Stormer Hill Textile Finishing works are of great architectural  and   historical importance.

This architectural gem of a viaduct has only 9  arches  but is very attractive and its relatively small size is more than compensated for by its history.  As well as a fascinating history  the structure is nowadays incorporated into a delightful linear park called the Kirklees Trail (known locally as "The Lines") which is designated as part of  a designated local nature reserve (LNR). The LNR designation also incorporates the Island Lodge water body and surrounding woodlands. The varied habitats and the biodiversity make the reserve worth a visit in its own right.

The Island Lodge impoundment pre-dates the Parliamentary approval of the Bury to Holcombe Brook railway line proposed by the Bury and Tottington District Railway in 1877.   As such the railway had to  cross the water body with minimal interference to its storage volume or flow rate. Hence the viaduct rather than an embankment. The aim of the railway was to provide transport for textile workers along the valley and to provide rail services to the many factories  and mills.

As well as transporting raw materials and finished product the railway played an important role in delivering coal to the mills which were increasingly turning to steam power. The railway was only 3.75 miles long and was a single track with a single passing loop. The intention to  later convert to double track can be seen in the design of the viaduct pier bases which were made double width to allow the viaduct to be widened at a later date.

From the start, the rolling stock and locomotives were provided by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company (L&YR) who bought out the original owners in 1888. There were initially 5 stations (including Bury) with 4 additional halts opening in 1905 and numerous sidings into industrial premises. The L&YR had some experience of electrification, largely using 600V DC on a third rail system. They were approached in 1912 by one of their suppliers,  Dick Kerr & Co. (a Glasgow company which also had a factory in nearby Preston) who were experimenting with high voltage (overhead catenary) systems with a view to tendering for a contract in Brazil.

The company had experience with electric traction throughout the world (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tranvia-de-soller ) but nothing at high voltage. They asked if they could, at their own expense, electrify the track between Bury and Holcombe Brook as a test bed for their prototype 3500V system. The L&YR were happy to agree (seeing this as a way of competing with electric street trams) and by 1913 the system was installed and running. At the time in the UK an overhead supply was used for street tramways (typically at 600V) and on railways third and fourth rail systems were typically run at 300V but rarely over 750V. The L&YR were operating many miles of  3rd rail system at 600V.

This experiment was historically important as the first application of higher voltage, overhead supplied, railway motive power in the country. Evidence of the upright support foundations which carried the catenary can still be found at either end of the viaduct and other parts of the trail. In 1916 the experiment was deemed a success and the L&YR bought up the rolling stock and facilities from Dick Kerr & Co. However, the railway company cannot have been too pleased with the overhead supply because in 1917 it started work to convert to the, also pioneering, 1200V side contact third rail system which it had operated between Manchester and Bury since 1916. Whilst passenger services were being powered electrically the freight trains continued to be steam hauled. For a short time, during the conversion to 3rd rail, the overhead supply was switched to 1200V (when the 3500V supply was broken down). 

The line operated with an electrified passenger service until 1951 when the  electrical system was deemed worn out and the branch line temporarily reverted back to steam passenger operation using a push-pull system.  Thus during its life, across this viaduct trains were powered first by steam then 3 different electrical systems and finally a steam powered push pull system. The passenger service only lasted 1 more year but freight operations continued until 1960 to Holcombe Brook and until 1963 to Tottington. Tottington goods yard  was on the Bury side of the viaduct and thus the viaduct would have stopped being used between 1960 & 1963.

The trackbed now forms the, very attractive, Kirklees Trail, a, well paved, cycle and footpath which opened in 1972 and has subsequently been added to the UK cycle network ( https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/thurgoland-tunnel/edit). The viaduct is a major feature of the trail. Viewed from the correct angle and in the correct light conditions the arches of the viaduct look magnificent when reflected in the still waters of the impoundment making it, aesthetically, even more appealing than some larger, more impressive structures.